Combined cigarette dispenser and lighter



Mamh 10, 1931. ALLAND 1,796,136

-COMBINED CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER Filed May 11, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet l March 10, 1931. M. ALLAND 1,796,136

COMBINED CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND LIGHTER Filed May 11, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 MAURICE ALLAND, OF ATLANTIQCITY,NEW JERSEY GOKIBINED CIGARETTE DISPENSER AN D LIGHTER Application filedMay 11, 1928. Serial No. 276,830.

The object of the invention broadly is to provide improvements incombined cigarette dispensers and lighters, and more particularly in animproved pocket automatic eject- 8 ing cigarette case andscratchlighter.

In the development and perfection of this invention, further and morespecific objects have been:

To provide a pocket cigarette case having,

a discharge orifice and means to dispel cigarettes singly therethrough,with means to prevent said dispelling means from operating accidentally,and to normally maintain .said last-named means in a predeterminedposition forming a complete and positive closure for said orifice;

To provide an aperture in a wall of a cigarette case spanned by atransparent closure, and graded indicia upon said case to indicate thenumber of cigarettes at any time within the case by the position ofthehighest cigarette visible through said aperture;

To provide a'removable, invertible, and replaceable abrasive elementupon the case in such location and arrangement that it is secured inoperative position by the filling closure of the case when the latter isin its normal closed position;

To provide a cigarette case with a unitary portion or projection incombination with;

i a closure also having a unitary portion'or projection, and a lightingdevice adapted to normally engage said unitary portions or projectionsto secure said closure in operative position, together with aprojection,

from the case adapted to engage said closure to retain the latter inoperative position, even after the removal of the-lighter to perform itsprimary function and until such time as it is desired to open saidclosure to again fill said case;

To provide an improved scratch lighter, comprising a reservoir for avolatile fuel, a porous closure for one end of the reservoir and ayieldingly positioned closure for the opposite end and operative topermit air to.

enter the reservoir, and thereby permit the fuel to flow by gravity intosaid porous closure, all in combination with a holder operativelysupporting a central flint and a surrounding wick, in such manner thatwhen not in use, said wick is in contact with the porous closure andadapted to receive fuel directly therefrom, but when said lighter is inuse, said wick being so ositioned as to be encountered by sparks yingfrom the flint when the latter is in frictional enga ement with theabrading member carried y the casing;

To provide in said flint and wick holder a storage space for one or morereserve flints and means to operatively position them progressively andin succession as worn away through repeated use To provide an improvedbox or package for the commercial handling and sale of cigarettes, saidbox having an aperture through which contents are visible, a transparentclosure for such aperture and indicia to indicate at all times thenumber of cigarettes within the box, together with ejecting meansadapted to be exposed only by removing one side of the box, andthereafter being manually operative to eject cigarettes from said box asdesired; and

To provide other objects and details of construction and operation suchas are fully brought out in the following description when read inconjunction with the accompanying so drawings in which Fig. 1 is a topplan view of one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2

is a front elevation ofthe same; Fig. 3 1s a side elevation of the same;Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is 35 ahorizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig.

2; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the device with the filling closureswung o n and with l the cigarette llghter separated rom the box and inextended relation; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line7-7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical diametrical section takenthrough the cigarette lighter with the reservoir air-inlet valve in aninward position; Fig; 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9-9 of Fig.8; Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a commercial box or packagecomprising a modified embodiment of the invention; Fig. 11 is a verticalsection on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a detail plan viewof the ejecting means shown in edge portion of the box end 2 there ispivotally secured at 8 a closure 9, surrounded upon its other threesides by a flange comprising sections 10, 11 and'12, and provided alsowith a vertically elongated aperture 13 through which the contents ofthe case are I at all times visible, said aperture being effectivelyclosed by a transparent medium 14 held in operative position in anysuitable manner.

The lower portion of the case is provided with a discharge aperture 15defined upon the rear by a flange 16 forming a continuation of the rearwall 1, and between which there extends diagonally a slanting wall 17.The forward portion of said discharge aperture 15 is normally defined bythe lowermost flange or section 12 of the closure 9, said flange andclosure being connected together with a trans-' 'versely extending wall18 corresponding to the wall 17 and between which is rotatablypositioned a cylindrical ejecting member 19, provided with any'desirednumberof parallel semi-cylindrical grooves or recesses 20 adapted whenin uppermost position to receive cigarettes 21 by gravity from withinthe case and upon being inverted to discharge such cigarettes, one atthe time, from the casing through the discharge aperture 15.

The ejecting member 19 is rotatably mounted in any suitable manner butis preferably carried by a trunnion 23 secured to said ejecting meansand passing rotatably through the opposite end. wall 3 thereof, saidlast-named trunnion having secured thereto a suitably knurled, manuallyvengageable knob 24, in whichis provided an aperture 25, normallyhousinga spring 26 which is operative to yieldingly force a ball 27intoone or more recesses 28 within the adjacent end wall of said case, forthe purpose of yieldingly securing said ejecting member in apredetermined fixed position in which the cigarette-- receiving recesses20 are out of alignment with the discharge orifice 15. 1

The end wall 3 of the case is furthermore provided with a unitarycup-shaped projec tion or stud 29, and from which latter extends aresilient finger 30, adapted to friction'ally engage the adjacentportion of the flange ,11 of the closure 9 to yieldingly re-' tain saidclosure in operative position. Said flange 11 is also provided withanannular extension 31 -which is normally in axial alignment with thecupped projection 29 and is provided upon its normally lower edgeportion with a notch 32 in addition to having a groove or longitudinallycutaway region 33.

In order to normally maintain the closure 9 in operative position, animproved form of scratch lighter or the like extends through the ring 31and rests within the cupped member 29 with a projecting lug 32'positioned in the notch 32. This lighter comprises a cylindricalreservoir '35, preferably formed of transparent material, such asBakelite, and is partly closed at its lower end by a transverselyextending partition 36, having a central aperture 37, beyond whichpartition said reservoir comprises a downwardly extending flange 38,internally threaded at 39 and adapted to removably receive a threadedplug 40, having a central aperture41, surrounded upon its outer surfaceby an enlarged recess 42. A pin 43 extends through said plug andterminates downwardly in a head 44 which is adapted in one position tolie within saidrecess 42 and adjacent to which head, said pin isprovided with a shoulder 45 of polygonal or other shape so as topermit'the passage of slight quantities of air inwardly through theaperture 41.

' The inner end of said plug is substantially spanned by an aperturedpartition 46, carried in threaded or other engagement by and movablewithsaid pin, the inner free end portion of which latter is surroundedby a conical compression spring 47 which extends between the fixedreservoir partition 36 and said last-named partition 46, carried by thepin and normally operates to maintain said pin with its head 44 in itsouter or extended position, an inward position being shown in Fig. 8.The plug 40 is in leak proof association with the reservoir flange 38 bymeans of an interposed washer 48.

The opposite, and normally upper end of the reservoir 35 is internallythreaded to receive the reduced end portion 49 of a cylindricalextension 50. Said reduced end 49 is substantially closed by atransversely extending apertured wall 51 from which extends axially acylindricalprojection 52, surrounded by an annular element of porousmaterial 53, adapted to receive fuel through the aper-' tures in the endwall 51, the opposite open end portion of the cylindrical extension 50being provided with a radially inwardly ex-.

tending lug 54. I

The scratch lighter proper comprises. a cylindrical member 55 andclosure 55' normally in slidable engagement within the cylindricalextension 50 and provided upon their aligned outer surfaces with aT-shaped cutaway por tion, comprising a-transversely enlargedheadsection'56 in the closure 55 and a depending restricted channel orslot in the member 55,

adapted to receive slidably the. lug 54 for operatively securing saidlighter within the supporting cylinder when not in use andto permit itsready removal therefrom when desired. i This member and closure 55' areseparable substantially in alignment with the line of union between thehead and depend ing portions of the T-shaped cutaway portion or recessso that the sleeve portion 58 of said member may be detachably mountedin threaded engagement with the reduced portion 59 of said closure, theinner surface of the sleeve 58 being spaced radially free from' adepending reduced cylindrical portion 60 of the threaded portion 59,through which extend any number. of so-called fiints 61, the

- bore containing said flints extending also upwardly through a threadedextension 62 upon which is mounted a lock nut 63'and in communicationwith which is an internally threaded cylindrical head 64, from thecenter of the innermost end portion of which there extends a preferablysolid core 65/which projects through a bore 66 in the threaded portion62 and abuts against the inner end of the flints 61 to prevent theirrecession into the reduced portion 60.

Surrounding said reduced portion 60 and within the radially spacedsleeve 58 is a cylindrical wick 67, which, when the device is not inuse, is in direct contact with the porousmaterial 53 adjacent to theperforated end wall 51 and from which porous material said wick receivesthe fluid fuel.

In the operation of this device and with the parts as shown in Fig. 8,but assembled with the cigarette case as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,thecase is. inverted and the knurled portion 70 of the cylinder 50 ispressed inwardly with the result that the combined reservoir 35 andcylinder 50 are shifted towards and further into the cupped projection29, so that the head 44 in contact with said projection is forcedinwardly against the tension of the spring 47 (in the position shown inFig. 8) and thereby permits a slight quantity of air to pass through theaperture 37 into the then upper portion of the reservoir 35, permittingthe volatile fuel to. pass by gravity through the apertured end 51 ofthe terial 53, whence the fuel is partially absorbed by that portion ofthe wick 67 which extends freely beyond the limit of the sleeve 58. As

.thepressure upon the knurled portion of the sleeve 50 is but momentary,only a relatively small portion of the fuel flows into the wick 67, butthis is sufficient, so that when the knurled head 64 is rotatedangularly to dis-. engage the retaining lug 54'from the shoulder 56 ofthe head 56 ofthe'T-shaped slot,

the lighter itself is readily removed from within the cylinder 50 andthe then exposed end portion of the normally lowermost flint 61 isadapted to be scraped upon the abrasive member 6 with the result thatsparksfrom moisten the porous masaid flint encounter the surroundingcylindrical wick 67, instantly igniting the fuel with which the latteris impregnated.

' This flaming wick is then used to light a cigarette which has beenobtained from with in the case by manually rotating the knob 24 ashereinbefore described, after which the lighter is reinserted into thecylinder 50 and turned angularly so that the lug 54 again cooperateswith one side of the shoulder 56 to prevent the accidental withdrawal ofthe lighter therefrom.

Referring now to Figs. 10, 11 and 12, there is shown any convenientshape of box, comprising top and end walls 75, and a front wall 76provided with a vertically elongated aperture 77, spanned by atransparent medium 78 through which the contents of the box are at alltimes visible. The relatively stiff material of the walls of this boxextend throughout the latter except over the lower end portion whichwhen handled commercially is closed temporarily'by means of a paper orother similar web-like closure 79, which is easily removable by beingtorn or cut away as by scoring with ones finger nail.

Mounted rotatably in the normally lower portion of said box is acylindrical ejecting member 80, having any desired number oflongitudinally extending cigarette-receiving recesses 81 and carried bytrunnions 82 which pass through the opposite end walls and are bridgedby the usual artistic paper covering with which the box is bound. Thesurface 83 of the ejecting member between the recesses 81 is preferablyknurled and is adapted to be manually engaged by frictional contact withones fingers after the removal of the lower closure 79 so as to rotatethe member 80 and thereby move each recess with its cigarette, receivedfrom the internal contents of the box, into a lowermost position inwhich such cigarette is discharged by gravity into the waiting hand ofthe user.

It is an object of this embodiment of the invention to provide the samein such inexpensive form andconstruction as to permit its application tothe well-known inexpensive forms of boxes in which cigarettes arecommercially held, instead of requiring the removal of such cigarettesfrom the boxes of commerce and placing them in a case as described inthe preferred embodiment of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A lighter, comprising areservoir having an apertured closure for one end and also an holderremovably carried by saidclosure, a :3"

flint carried by said holder, and a wick also carried by said holder andwhen not in use being in direct contact with said porous medium.

2. A lighter, comprising a reservoir having an apertured closure for oneend and also an air-inlet, spring-pressed means to effectively closesaid air-inlet, a porous medium surrounding a cylindrical extension ofsaid closure and adapted to receive fuel from said reservoir throughsaid closure upon the operation of said spring-pressed means, a holderremovably carried by said closure, a flint carried by said holder andwhen inoperative extending into said cylindrical extension, and a wickalso carried by said holder surrounding said flintand when not in use being in direct contact with said porous medium. v

3. Alighter, comprising a reservoir having an apertured closure for oneend and an air-inlet, said reservoir comprising a cylindrical extensionsurrounding said air-inlet to form a housing, a' closure for saidhousing having an aperture, a spring-pressed element carried by saidlast-named closure and normally effectively closing the adjacentaperture, a porous medium surrounding a cylindrical extension of saidfirst-named closure and adapted to receive fuel from said reservoirthrough said first-named closure upon the operation of saidspring-pressedmeans, a holder removably carried by said first closure, aflint carried by said holder and when inoperative extending into thecylindrical extension of said first closure, and a wick also carried bysaid holder surrounding-said flint and when not in use being in directcontact with said porous medium.,

4. The combination of a boxhaving a hollow extension, with a lidalsohavin a hollow extension transversed by a wal and a reservoirextending through one extension flint adjustably carried by said holder,and

a wickadjacent to the exposed end of said flint and adapted to beencountered by sparks therefrom,

6. The combination of a box having a hollow extension, with a lid alsohaving. a hollow extension transversed bya wall, a'reservoir extendingthrough one extension and into said second extension, to secure said lidin operative position, said reservoir having an air-inlet,spring-pressed means normally effectively closing said inlet, andengageable with said wall, when said reservoir is moved in one position,to permit air to enter said reservoir and facilitate its flow therefrom,said reservoir having an open end, an apertured closure for said end, aholder removably supported by said last-named closure, means tooperatively yet removably connect said holder to said supportingclosure, a bayonet engagement to operatively secure said reservoir insaid extensions, a plurality of fiints-adjustably carried by saidholder, and a wick adjacent to the exposed end of said flint and adaptedto be encountered by sparks therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

MAURICE 'ALLAN'D.

and into said second extension, to secure said lid in operativeposition, said reservoir hav-' ing an air-inlet, spring-pressed meansnormally effectively closing said inlet and engageable with said wall,when said reservoir is moved in one position, to permit air to entersaid reservoir and facilitate its flow therefrom.

5. The combination of a box having a hollow extension, with a lid alsohaving a hollow extension transversed by a wall, a reservoir extendingthrough one extension and into said second extension, to secure said lidin operative position, said reservoir having an air-inlet,spring-pressed means normally effectively closing said inlet andengageable with said wall, when said reservoir is moved in one position,to permit air to enter said reservoir and facilitate its flow therefrom,said reservoir having an open end, an apertured closure for said end, aholder removably supported by said last-named closure, a I

